How Much Does Chlamydia Treatment Cost?

Since 1994, Chlamydia has comprised the largest proportion of all STDs reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which reported that there were 1.4 million new cases of Chlamydia in 2014. Infections are most common among those between the ages of 15 and 25 and are more common in women than men. In 2013, about 141 million new cases occurred globally resulting in about 1,100 deaths.

Chlamydia infection, often simply known as chlamydia, is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.

It is one of the most common STIs worldwide affecting about 4.2% of women and 2.7% of men.

You can get infected by having unprotected sex whether vaginal, anal or oral. You may also be infected when your genitals are coming into contact with your partner’s or from sharing sex toys without washing them or covering them with condoms.

Average Cost of Chlamydia Treatment

Just how much does chlamydia treatment cost? There is no standard cost for treating STI’s as it usually varies depending on the type of therapy and the length of the treatment process. Most treatments will cost something but make sure to ask your doctor or local pharmacy about cost options.

The average cost of chlamydia treatment including diagnosis typically requires $30 – $130 for laboratory testing and $15 – $50 for antibiotics.

According to a study published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases, the average cost for Chlamydia episode was $99 for doctor consultation, $44 for the diagnostic test and $36 for the medicine for a total of $179.

How are STDs and STIs Diagnosed?

If you want to be tested for Chlamydia and other STIs, there are four options you that you can choose from. These are through medical facilities, STD/STI testing centers, Planned Parenthood, and rapid testing kits. It depends on your choice or preference which revolves around the want of privacy, convenience, cost-efficiency and proximity.

If your sexual history and you are currently having signs and symptoms, different laboratory tests can detect infections through blood tests, urine samples, and fluid samples from genital sores if you have them.

Additional Expenses

How much does chlamydia treatment cost does not affect the patient alone. Since Chlamydia is sexually transmitted, it is, therefore, a given that the patient’s sexual partner should also be tested and treated. If left untreated in women, it could lead to fallopian tube scarring which can cause infertility. Please note that current cost of in-vitro fertilization costs around $8,000 – $15,000 per cycle.

Where to Find Facilities?

Health Grove can help you locate some of the best facilities catering STD’s and STI’s near your place. You can also visit or contact your local health centers to help you find one.

Risks Factors of Acquiring STDs or STIs

It is said that promiscuity got the highest risk for contractingSTDs. But other factors play the part, so screening is crucial if you fall into the following categories:

Young age (sexually active)

Non-use of barrier contraceptives like condoms, cervical caps, among others

Non-regular sexual relationships

Men having sex with men

Intravenous drug use

Prostitution

Poor sex education or access to advice regarding STDs and STIs

History of chlamydia or other STDs

Ethnicity

Symptoms of Chlamydia

Most of those infected have no symptoms. But once they manifest in the person, these short-term symptoms are to be observed:

Men – White discharge from the end of the penis, burning sensation when urinating and sore testicles.

Women – needing to urinate frequently and can be accompanied by a burning sensation, unusual and excessive vaginal discharge that is usually white or yellow.

Long-term chlamydia symptoms and complications include pain and bleeding during sex, vaginal discharge, fever, spotting between periods, abnormally heavy periods, back and abdominal pains and a weighty feeling around the lips. When these occur, see your doctor right away as these can lead to severe complications like pelvic inflammatory disease, a generic term for the infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.

What are Affected?

Interestingly, even if it is a sexually transmitted disease, infections are not limited to genitals alone but can also affect other parts of the body.

Eye diseases – Chlamydia conjunctivitis or trachoma was once the most important cause of blindness role worldwide, but figures declined from 15% in 1995 to 3.6% in 2002. It can be spread from eye to eye by fingers, shared towels, coughing and sneezing, and eye-seeking flies.

Joints – Chlamydia can cause reactive arthritis which is the combination of arthritis, conjunctivitis and urethral inflammation especially in young men.

Infants – up to half of all babies born to mothers with the disease will also have it. It causes premature birth; conjunctivitis which may lead to blindness and pneumonia.It can also cause spontaneous abortion;

Other conditions – a different variation of Chlamydia causes inflammation of the lymph nodes and lymphatics. It usually presents genital ulceration and swollen lymph nodes in the groin as well as rectal inflammation, fever or swollen lymph nodes in other parts of the body.

How is Chlamydia Treated?

The best option is to go to your country health department as they usually have free STD and STI treatments. Otherwise, seek the help of a doctor specializing in these kinds of diseases.

If you test positive for Chlamydia, you will have the opportunity to speak with a venereologist to discuss your test result. Venereologists are experts in sexually transmitted diseases. Because of the social stigma towards these infections, people with these STDs tend to avoid seeking professional help from them in person. So patients have the option to do the consultation with them through phone or online.

The doctor then can electronically send a prescription for an antibiotic that you can pick up at your local pharmacy.

In cases where the patient needs to see the doctor personally, the patients are often given a number so that they do not have to give their name. They also tend to have a discreet entrance and the compliance of which is being ensured by the hospital or clinic.

Chlamydia is generally cured with a single dose of an antibiotic such as generic azithromycin. But other options can be doxycycline to be taken for seven days. These antibiotics cure chlamydia in up to 95 out of 100 cases. Some people may not be able to take these medicines due to side effects or contraindications. In these cases, the doctor may prescribe a different one.

Antibiotic treatment, if taken exactly as directed, normally cures chlamydia infections. Otherwise, the infection will not be cured.

Treatment of STDs and STIs does not end in one consultation and treatment alone. Follow-up care is an important part of your treatment and safety. Therefore, the average cost of chlamydia treatment may be affected if longer treatment will be necessary especially if complications have already set in.

Be sure to be present in all appointments and call your doctor if you are having problems like side-effects from medications or persistent symptoms. It is also important to know your test result and keep track of all the medications you are taking.